What is trenchless pipe rehabilitation?

Pipelines running under the surface of a city carrying water, gas, or oil need pipeline rehabilitation due to aging or corrosion. The repair is done using trenchless rehabilitation that involves the repair or replacement of underground pipelines that have been damaged. The old ways of underground pipeline leak repair may be impractical and costly. They are also disruptive and cause adverse effects on the environment. Therefore trenchless technology is carried out with very less or no digging at all. It is faster, less disruptive, and eco-friendly.

Here is a list of reasons why pipeline installation companies hire people to do the rehabilitation.

1. Structural repair needed 

2. Infiltration to be removed

3. The capacity of the pipeline needs to be increased

4. Damage caused due to aging 

5. Damage caused due to natural disasters

6. Failure due to manufacturing default 

7. Damage caused by excavation

8. Damage caused by corrosion

Pipeline installation companies may use casing insulators to protect the pipelines from getting damaged. Casing insulators insulate the pipes electrically. But most of the pipelines have a long life to run therefore over a period they would demand repair. That’s why trenchless rehabilitation is one of the best ways to repair or replace pipelines. The benefits are:

• Cost-effective

• Turnaround times are extremely fast

• Helps preserve infrastructure on surface and underground

• Noise and dust pollution is low 

• Reduced CO2 emissions contribute to environmental protection

• There is minimal disruption of traffic

• Keeping a pipeline system in good working order for many decades

The few most common trenchless rehabilitation methods are:

• Sliplining

It is one of the oldest ways of fixing a repair. In this method, a pipe with a smaller diameter as compared to the damaged pipe is slipped to seal the gap. Using this method has a disadvantage, the new pipe decreases the flow of the original pipe.

• CIPP - Cured-in-Place Pipe

Instead of putting an additional pipe inside, a liner is inverted. The benefit is that it does not alter the flow rate formed during the initial pipeline installation. Air or water pressure is applied to invert the liner and to form a perfect fit within the carrier pipeline.

• Pipe Bursting

In this method, a bursting head is inserted into the damaged pipe. The old pipeline shatters and the pieces are pushed into the surrounding soil. During this process, new pipes are simultaneously pulled behind the bursting head, creating room for new pipes.

It is done mostly in cases of brittle pipes.

• Thermoformed Pipe

PVC or PE pipes are folded and inserted into the host pipe, which shrinks to the required size. Pipes with small cross-sections can be repaired using this technique.

• Spot Repair

With the help of grouting, the damaged part of the host pipe is repaired. This is useful when the structure is stable.

How to plan so that the repair work is effective and the pipeline resumes its original operating capacity soon. In case of a structural change, the pipeline must start functioning at its new capacity.

 

• It is important to set priorities for the repair work.

• It is important to evaluate the existing conditions of the pipeline accurately. How much is the damage or how much is the existing capacity?

• Once the above two are done, the next step is to identify the appropriate technique that should be used for underground pipeline leak repair.

Most of the pipeline installations are done using steel. These pipelines carry corrosive materials like gas, oil, and sometimes chemicals.  These pipeline installations are being done in harsh environments like underwater. As a result, there is a sharp decline in the expected life expectancy of these pipelines. Due to corrosion, aging, or erosion, they need frequent repairs and sometimes replacement as well. RACI offers Primus Line Trenchless Pipeline rehabilitation solution to protect your pipelines and ensures successful underground pipeline leak repair that lasts for decades.